Fountain pen



Jan. 10, 1933. R s CARTER 1,893,579

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Dec. 5, 1928 Patented Jan. 10, 1933 oFFIcE RUSSELL CARTER, F HEWLETT, NEW YORK FOUNTAIN PEN' Application filed December 5, 1928. Serial No. 323,860.

The object of my invention is to provide a self-filling fountain pen which has a greater ink capacity for any given outside diameter than has been possible heretofore, and also one that can be made relatively cheaply because of the small number of parts and the simplicity of each.

According to my invention, the cap` of the pen is used to recharge the barrel with ink, being arranged to slide or otherwise pass over the body of the pen for some little distance for this purpose. As illustrated hereinafter, no valves are needed. Nor is it necessary to provide any eXtra walls or tubes withinthe wall forming the outer surface of the stem or barrel.

In the accompanying drawing', Fig. 1, mostly in longitudinal section, illustratesa pen of my invention, the cap being nearlyin the position on the end of the barrel where caps are customarily placed for writing; and also in the position it occupies at the beginning of a recharging operation. Fig. 2, also part-ly in section, shows the parts in position for fresh ink to be taken into the barrel. Fig. 3 illustrates the pen closed for carrying.

The construction of the hollow body of the pen carrying the pen point is relatively unimportant. It may consist of a barrel or stem l into which is tightlylitted or attached the linger portion 2 carrying the pen point 3 and which is pierced for liuid iow in any approved manner. The ink is carried in an ink sack within the hollow barrel, and the finger piece 2 may have a flange 4 over which is clasped the open end of the ink sack. This sack 5 is so constructed thatwhen collapsed, it tends to expand again to more or less fill the barrel, say to the shape in which the sack is shown in Fig. l. As is the present practice, the cap 6 is a rigid member also, and is arranged to be fastened to the body of the pen when covering the pen point, as by threads within its open end cooperating with threads 7 on the barrel (Fig. The cap has an internal annular shoulder 9, for the threads 7 to draw against the annular end V10 of the iinger piece 2 to prevent leakage in the pocket of the user. v

The cap and body are so arranged that the then the barrel is cap can be passed over the body, in the present instance slid over, for some distance at the end of the body opposite the pen point 3, with a relatively air-tight connection ber tween the two; that is to say, in a manner which causes air to be compressed within the cap. For this purpose, theV barrel 1 is given a uniform cross-section exteriorly for at least a portion of its length between the threads 7 and the end l1 of the for the whole of its length from near 7 to 11; for example, if it be round in cross-section, made cylindrical for a barrel, and preferably i part or the whole of this distance. Interiorly, the cap 6 is given a uniform cross-section also, for some distance between its open end 'and the shoulder 9, and the same shape in cross-section as the exterior ofthe barrel,

'and preferably it has this cross-section for substantially the whole of this distance. Preferably too this distance is `substantially equal to the distance from 7 to 11. This last can be accomplished without increasing the overall length of the cap and pen when the cap is covering the pen point (Fig. 3) by permitting the cap to lap farther up on the body from the pen-point end than usual, as by placing the threads 7 substantially midway between l0 and l1. Furthermore, the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the cap throughout this length of uniform cross-section, are but slightly greater than the external crosssectional dimensions of that portion of the barrel which is of uniform cross-section, so that the lit of the cap over the barrel isa sliding lit, that is to say, as tight as may be while permitting the cap to be slid over and off the barrel by hand. At a suitable place, as in the end wall 1l, the barrel is pierced through with a hole 18 to connect the interior of the barrel with the interior of the cap when the latter is on the end 1l of the barrel. Now by placing the cap on the closed end of the barrel'as shown in Fig. l, and then sliding it along the barrel, it is evident- (neglecting, for the m0- ment, the hole 14 in the cap) that the contained air will be compressed within the cap and forced into the barrel, and thereby the sack 5 collapsed. Then by submerging the nib 3 in ink and releasing the internal pressure, fresh ink will be drawn up into the sack. The pressure can be released by withdrawing the cap while the nib 8 is submerged, but preferably I provide a hole by means of which the interior of the barrel can be connected to the atmosphere at will after the cap has been passed onto the body of the pen as described and thereon is at rest (position of Fig. 2). For this purpose the cap 6 is pierced through with the hole 14. This can be closed by the users finger while he is sliding the cap on the barrel to collapse the sack, and opened by removing his finger to permit the compressed air to escape from the barrel and the sack to expand. Most conveniently this hole 14 is placed far enough along toward the closed end of the cap to prevent it being closed by the wall of the barrel when the cap slides along over the barrel. Preferably it is placed close to the shoulder 9, but, as shown, between the shoulder 9 and the open threaded end of the cap, so as not to destroy the effect of shoulder 9 in sealing the pen against leakage in the users pocket. Such a hole serves a further purpose, namely, it prevents ink being eX- pelled from the pen when the user slips the cap on the end of the barrel for writing, or should he accidentally slide it down on the barrel at any time.

A stop can be put on the barrel of the pen to stop the movement of the cap at a point where the hole 14 (or another serving the same purpose) is still unclosed by' lapping. One end of the threads 7 may serve for such a stop, or a special annular boss 15, at which the threads 7 here terminate, may be applied for this purpose.

Also the barrel 1 may be given a uniform cross-section exteriorly, for some distance from 7' toward the pen point (as at 16) and about the same cross-section in this region as the interior of the cap between 9 and the open end of the cap, the one fitting within the other, to assist the threads 7 in retaining the cap in place when covering the pen and to guide the pen point through the annular shoulder 9 without striking.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the details illustrated and described, except as appears hereinafter in the claims: y

1. In a fountain pen, a hollow body carrying the pen point and provided with an annular shoulder adjacent the pen point, an ink sack within the hollow body opening to the pen point, cap attaching means on the body portion, spaced from said annular shoulder and between said annular shoulder and the opposite end of the body, the body being of uniform cross-section eXteriorly for a considerable part of its length, and a cap for the pen point arranged to co-act with said attaching means when covering the pen point,

and to pass over the said portion of said body of uniform cross-section with a substantially air-tight connection therewith to affect the ink sack, the cap being provided with an internal annular shoulder arranged to abut against the first mentioned annular shoulder when the cap is held on the body by said cap attaching means, the end of the body opposite the pen point being open, and said cap being provided with a hole to open the interior of the cap vto the atmosphere when the cap is on the end of the body opposite the pen point, said hole in the cap being located between said internal annular shoulder and the open end of the cap.

2.y In a fountain pen, a hollow body carrying the pen point and provided with an annular shoulder adjacent the point, yan ink sack within the hollow body opening to the pen point, a portion of said hollow body adjacent its end opposite the pen point being of uniform cross-section exteriorly, aV cap for the pen point adapted to be retained in position when covering the pen point, and to pass over the said portion of said body of uniform cross-section with a substantially air-tight connection therewith to affect the ink sack, and a stop t0 limit the distance the cap can be slipped onto the end of the body opposite the pen point, the end of the body opposite the pen point being open, and the cap being provided with aninternal annular shoulder to abut against the first mentioned shoulder when the cap is retained in position covering the pen point, and being provided with a hole adapted to be closed by the users finger, to open the interior of the cap to the atmosphere when the cap is on said opposite end of the body and is at the limit of its movement thereon as xed by said stop, said hole being located between said internal annular shoulder and the open end of the cap.l

3. Inl a fountain pen, a hollow body carrying the pen point and provided with an annular shoulder adjacent the pen point, an ink sack within the hollow body opening to the pen point, cap attaching and stop means on the body portion substantially midway between its ends, the body being of uniform cross-section exteriorly from substantially said means to substantially the end ofthe body opposite the pen point, and a cap for the pen point arranged to co-act with said attaching means when covering the pen point, and to pass over the said portion of said body of uniform cross-section with a substantially air-tight connection therewith to affect the ink sack, the movement of the cap over said portion of uniform cross-section being limited by said stop means, the end of the body opposite the pen point being open and said cap being provided with an internal annular shoulder to abut against the first mentioned annular shoulder when the cap is held on the body by said cap attaching means, and

being provided with a hole adapted to be closed by the users finger, to open the nteror of the cap to the atmosphere when the cap is in engagement with said stop means, said hole being located between said internal annular shoulder and the open end ofthe cap.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

RUSSELL S. CARTER. 

